Automatic vacuum oil-feed for internal-combustion engines



P. SCHINDLER.

AUTOMATIC VACUUM OIL FEED FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPLKCATION FILED DEC.20,1917.

1,387,738, Patented Aug. 16, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET x.

Paul 15061724361" 1" q fl, 53mm P. SCHINDLER.

AUTOMATIC VACUUM OIL FEED FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED DEC-20, I917.

1 ,3873738. Patented Aug. 16,1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PAUL SCHINDLER, 0F JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY.

Application filed December 20, 1917.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, PAUL Sonrnonnn, a citizen of the United States, residing in Jersey City, county of Hudson, State of New J ersev, have invented a certain new and useful iiutomatic Vacuum Gil-Feed for Internal-Combustion Engines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to oil feeds for internal combustion engines and, more particularly, to a device controlled by suction in the engine cylinders for properly lubricatthe engine with which it is associated.

it is common practice in automobile construction to lubricate the crankshaft and connecting rod bearings through the employment of what is commonly known as a splash system of lubrication, the base of the crank case being provided with a dished portion beneath each cylinder so that, when oil is introduced into the crank case, a pool of oil is formed beneath each cylinder, and into this pool the crank of the crank-shaft dips at each revolution of said shaft, splashes the oil about the interior of the crank case, immerses the bearings, and properly lubricates them. Beneath the fly-wheel, which is generally at the rear of the engine, is a deeply-dished portion, usually termed the sump, and it is a common fault with a great majority of automobile engines that, when the car runs up a steep grade, for any appreciable distance, the oil forming the pools beneath the cylinders drains back and flows into the sump, leaving insufiicient oil in the respective pools to properly lubricate the bearings. Kumerous expedients have been resorted to, with a view to obviating this well known disadvantage, but the best of these expedients have proved insuillcient to c with extremely steep grades. it having .1 found to be almost impossible to maintain a pool of oil under the forward cylinor cylinders under all conditions.

th the foregoing considerations in mind. the object of the present invention is to provide an entirely automatic device, the function of which is to draw the oil from the sump and deliver it to the forward end of the crank case in such manner as to maintain, at all times, a pool beneath each and every one of the cylinders.

In its preferred practical form, the invention embodies a reservoir or tank having an Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 16-, 1921.

Serial No. 208,173.

oil inlet communicating with the sump of the engine, and an Oll outlet or feed comniunicating with the forward end of thecrank case, the interior of said reservoir being adapted to be placed in communication with the intake manifold of the engine. The suction in the intake manifold produces a suction in the tank, when communication is opened therebetween, and this suction serves to draw the oil from the sump into the reser voir. lVithin the reservoir is a float which, when elevated by the rising level of the inrushing oil from the sump, serves to complete an electric circuit which operates means for shutting off communication between the intake manifold and the tank, and simultaneously opens communication between the interior of the tank and the outer atmosphere. The tank is preferably positioned at a point above its outletinto the crank case so that, when the tank is vented, the oil will flow under hydrostatic pressure into the forward end of the crank case. The outlet of the tank is, moreover, preferably controlled by a suction-operated valve, this valve being operable to open and allow the oil to flow into the crank case when suction communication is cut off between the tank and the intake manifold. The oil thus flows in an unrestricted manner into the forward end of the crank case, fills the forward pool, then the next pool, and so on, while the over-flow passes back to the sump.

In the preferred construction, the float within the reservoir serves to cause a reoccurrence of the operations described as soon as the oil in said reservoir has receded to a predetermined minimum. It will thus ap pear that, in the practical embodiment. described, which, however, is not exclusive, oil is periodically introduced into the forward end of the engine crank case, and the time between these periods is of such relatively short duration that the pools cannot become dry, and proper splash lubrication will positively result, irrespective of conditions of grade.

Features of the invention, other than those adverted to, as well as the advantages thereof, will be apparent from the following description read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated one practical embodiment of the invention, but the construction therein shown is to be understood as illustrative, only, and not as defining the limits of the invention.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a central section, partly in elevation, of the device.

Fig. 3 is a fragmental plan view.

Fig. 4: is a section 011 line 4-d of Fig. 3, showing a controlling valve which is preferably employed in the position shown in Fig. 3.

. Fig. 5 is a view the same as Fig. 4:, with the valve in anothe position and Fig. 6 is a fragmental plan of a cooperating wrist pin in the switch lever employed in the construction.

Referring to the drawings, A designates a container or reservoir, here shown as cylindrical in form and closed at both ends with a top a and a bottom a. On one side of reservoir A is preferably provided a bracket a whereby the reservoir may be mounted in operative relation on the internal combustion engine with which it is adapted to cooperate. In the form of bracket shown, two apertures a are provided, which are adapted toreceive two of the lag-screws for holding the cylinder head in place, and said two lag-screws simultaneously serve to support the reservoir. From the bottom of the reservoir extend an inlet pipe B, which leads to the sump of the englne, and an outlet passage 'C, whichcommunicates, through a pipe 0, with the forward end of the crank case. In pipe 0 is included a sight gage 0 so that the flow of oil through said pipe may be observed.

Communicating with the upper part of the reservoir is a duct D which extends to a point interior of the intake manifold of the engine, so that, when the engine pistons are on suction strokes to draw in carbureter mixture through the intake manifold of the engine, suction is produced in duct D. The function of duct D is to communicate suction, at proper intervals, tot-he interior of 1 reservoir. Block 0 is firmly secured to the top of the reservoir and is provided with a plurality of ducts after the manner best shown in Figs. 2 to 5. A duct 7 extends vertically through the block 6 and the top a 1 of the reservoir and is ada otcd to be DllQGd into communication with duct D,-wl1en the valve is 111 the position shown in Figs. 3 and 4, by means of a by-pass 7" formed in valve E. When the valve is in the position shown in Fig. 4, suction will be communicated, through duct D, bypass f and duct f, to the interior of the reservoir and the suction within the reservoir will draw in oil through inlet pipe B from the sump of the engine. 7

Positioned within the reservoir is a float G, through the center of which extends a rotatable shaft 9 having thereon a convolute spline or thread 9, and on the float is a plate 9 having a notch engaging with spline 9. Also secured to the float is a plate 9 the free end of which is bifurcated to straddle a rod g which is rigidly secured to the top of the reservoir and provides, at its lower end, a bearing in which shaft 9 may rotate. Shaft g is reduced at its upper end, extends through the top a of the reservoir, and carries a hub 71 on which is eccentrically mounted a wrist-pin it. As a result of this construction, it will appear that, when oil is sucked into the reservoir through inlet pipe B, its rising level will elevate float G which, being unable to rotate on spline 9 because of rod 9, will bring about rotation-of shaft g and consequent oscillation of wrist-pin ]1.

pline g makes about the shaft approximately one-fourth of a convolution, so that the wrist-pin travels, during the rising action of the float, through substantialy 0 de rees.

lliounted on top of the reservoir is a lever I pivoted. at i for oscillationand provided with a forked end 2" which embraces wristpin 71/. Accordingly, when, the wrist-pin is oscillated, it serves to act upon lever I to cause oscillation of the free end thereof. As the float rises, the lever will be oscillated so that, when the float has reached its predetermined maximum elevation, the free end of lever I will engage with a contact J, which is insulated from the reservoir but has electric connection, through wire j, with an electro-1nagnet K, the other terminal of which is provided with terminal post k. The electric circuit, including wire 7', electromagnet H and terminal post 74, leads to the ignition circuit, to a storage battery, or to the magneto of the engine, the other pole of the circuit being grounded. As a result of this construction, the contact of lever I with contact J completes a grounded circuit through the reservoir and energizes magnet K, which serves to attract an armature L associated therewith. Armature L has a link connection Zwith valve E, as shown in Fig. 1, being pivotally secured thereto on apin Z. Diainetrically opposite from pin Z, valve E is provided with a finger to which is secured a spring P, the other end of which spring is fixed to a standard Z on the top of the reservoir. Spring Z normally serves to retract armature L and draw it away from the magnet into such position that valve E is in the relation to block e shown in Figs. 3 and 4. In this relation between the parts, by-pass 7" opens suction communication to the reservoir-and the oil is drawn from the sump of the engine through intake pipe B.

However, as soon as the oil level in the reservoir elevates the float to such height as to bring about a completion of the circuit by lever I, magnet K is energized and attracts its armature against the tension of spring F. This rotates valve E to the position shown in Fig. 5, wherein duct fis sealed, suction communication shut off between the engine and the reservoir, and an air vent e in valve E brought into registration with a duct 6 passing entirely through block 6. At the same time, a duct 6* in the valve is moved out of registration with a duct 6 in block 6 with which it has been in registration for reasons hereinafter manifest. The moving of the valve by the magnet to the position shown in Fig. 5 shuts off suction communication with the reservoir and vents the reservoir through the registering duets e and 6 while by-pass f is moved to place duct 6 into suction communication with the engine through duct D.

The suction having been cut off from the reservoir and said reservoir vented as described, the oil is free to flow through outlet passage C and through pipe 0 to the forward end of the engine, except for the fact that passage C is sealed by a valve M, the same being held in position to shut off passage C by a spring m, best shown in Fig. 2. It will be noted, however, from Fig. 2 that duct 4; communicates, through a pipe m, with the forward end of the casing m which houses the cylindrical valve M. From this construction, it will follow that, as soon as valve E is rotated to bring the by-pass into the position shown in Fig. 5, wherein said by-pass will open communication between ducts D and 6 suction will be communieated through pipe m to the interior of valve casing m and the resulting rarefied condition within said valve easing will draw valve M to the right in Fig. 2, against the tension of spring we, to such extent as to bring port m in register with passage C to allow the oil in the reservoir to freely flow out through outlet passage C and pipe 0 to the forward end of the crank ease. The exit of the oil can be noted by looking at sight gage c. As the oil flows out of the reservoir to the forward end of the crank case, float G will descend and produce a retrograde rotation of shaft g, with the result that wrist-pin it will oscillate lever I out of engagement with contact J. The electric circuit will be broken, armature L will be released, and spring Z will oscillate valve E back into the position shown in Figs. 3 and 4. This operation will bring the ducts e and 6 into registration, thereby venting VfllWE easing m to the outer atmosphere, air will rush in through ducts c" and c and pipe m to overcome the rarefied condition, and spring m will force valve M into the position shown in Fig. 2 to seal the outlet of the reservoir. At the same time, vent duct 6 of valve E will be moved out of registration with duct 6 (see Fig. 3) to seal the reservoir from the outer atmosphere, and by-pass f will be moved to the position of Fig. 4 to again place the interior of the reservoir in suction communication with the engine. The resulting suction in the reservoir will again draw in oil from the sump of the engine and the operations hereinbefore described will be repeated.

In order that the leverI may be kept in engagement with the contact J while the float G is receding and until it reaches its munmum elevation, the armature L is provided with an arm 0 carrying a pawl 0 which rests against the lever I. when the armature L is against the pawls of the magnet. This pawl, which is yieldably held by a spring 0 will serve to maintain the contact, while the float G is receding, but when the float G reaches the bottom of its travel, the wrist-pin It will overcome the tension of the spring 0 will oscillate the lever I and break the circuit, whereupon, the armature L will be released and the spring L will rotate the valve E to the position shown in Fig. 4.

A stop 7' is shown as positioned on the top of the reservoir, to limit the movement of lever I, although, in practice, this stop is generally unnecessary. Moreover, armature L is shown as guided on rods I projecting from the cores of magnet coils K, but, in practice, the armature may be otherwise guided independently of the magnet.

From the foregoing detailed description of the invention, it will appear that the inflow of oil into the reservoir continues until the predetermined maximum oil level is reached, and immediately thereafter the oil is allowed to flow to the forward end of the crank case. The periods between the outflow of oil to the crank case are, manifestly, short so that there is, practically speaking, a continuous drawing of oil from the sump to return the same to the forward end of the crank case. There results an almost constant flow of oil from the forward end of the crank case back to the sump, the oil filling the poolsbeneath the cylinders in succession and overflowing into the next pool, to finally overflow into the sump. The pools beneath the cylinders are thus maintained at all times and they cannot possibly go dry,

In the churning-up of the oil in the crank case, due to the splash system of lubrication, and the drawing of such oil into the reservoir, there is drawn into said reservoir,with the oil, a considerable amount of entrained gases which are resident in all oils. As

these gases are drawn into the reservoir, they are liberated therefrom by being drawn by the suction in the intake manifold directly into said manifold, and, being intermixed with the carbureted mixture from the carbureten'pass into the engine in the form of fuel. In this manner, the gases in the lubricating oil, which generally go to waste, are utilized to drive the engine. This is an important consideration from the stand-. point of economy of fuel, so that the present invention not only insures proper lubrication of the bearings, but simultaneously increases the drivingcapacity of the motive fuel. 3

."iaving thus'fully described the invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a device of the character described, a reservoir having an oil inlet communieating with the sump of an engine, an outlet communicating with the forward end of the crank case, and a duct communicating with the intake manifold of the engine, in

combination with means cont-rolled by the level of 011 111 the reservoir for placing the reservoir in suction communication with the intake manifold to draw oil from the sump into the reservoir through the inlet thereof and thereafter shutting off such suction communication toallow the oil to flow through the outlet of the reservoir into the forward end of the crank case. a

2. In a device of the character described, a reservoir having an oil inlet communicating with the sump of an engine, an outlet communicating with the forward end of the crank case, and a duct communicating with the intake manifold of the engine, in combination. with a float controlled by the level of oil in-the reservoir, and means controlled by said float for placing the reservoir in suctionv communication with the intake manifold todraw oil from the sump into the reservoir through the inlet thereof and thereafter shutting off such suction communication toallow the oil to flow through the outlet of the reservoir into the forward end of the crank case.

3; In a device of the character described, a reservoir having an oil inlet communicating with the sump of an engine, a valvecontrolled oil outlet communicating with the forward end of the crank case, and a valve-controlled duct communicating with the intake manifold of the engine, in combination with means controlled by the level of oil in the reservoir for closing the outlet valveand simultaneously openingthe valve in the duct, when the oil, level in the reservoir reaches a predetermined minimum, to cause the suction in the manifold to draw oil from the sump into the reservoir, said means serving, when the oil level reaches a predetermined maximum, tov close the suction duct valve and open the outlet valve for the purpose of allowingtheoil inthe reservoir to flow to the forward end of the crank case. V

4:. Ina device of the character described, a reservoirhaving an oil inlet communicating with the sump of an engine, an oil outlet leading to the forward end of the crank case, and av suction ,inlet communicating with the engine cylinders, in combination with means, governed by the. fall of oil in the reservoir, for closing the oil outlet and opening the suction inlet to replenish the supply of oil from the sump, andvelectrical means, governed by the, rise of the oil level in the reservoir, for opening the oil outlet and closing the suction inlet, whereby the oil may flow to the'engine crank case.

5. In a device of the character described, a reservoir having an oil inlet communicating with the sump of an engine, an oil outlet leading to the forward end of the crank case, and a suction inlet communicating with the engine cylinders, in combination with means, governed by the fall of oil in the reservoir, for closing the oil outlet and opening the suction inlet to replenish the supply ,of oil from the sump, means for opening the oil outlet and closing the suction inlet, and electrical means, controlled by the means which closes the oil outlet, for operating the last-mentioned-means, whereby the oil may'flowto the engine crank case. 7

6. In a. devic'eof the character described, a reservoir having an oil inlet communicating with thesump of an engine, a nor.- mally closed valve-controlled outlet .communicating with the forward end of the crank case, a valve-controlled duct for opening communication between the interior ofthe reservoir and the engine cylinders, and means associated with the valve of said duct for controlling the outlet valve of the reservoir, in combination'with means, operated by the oil level in the reservoir, for controlling the suction duct.

7. In a device of the character described, a reservoir having an oil inlet communicating with the sump of an engine, an oil outlet communicating with the forward end of the crankcase, avalve in said outlet, a duct communicating with the engmec'ylinders,

a valve for controlling the suction through said duct, a duct leading from the last mentioned valve to the outlet controlling valve, whereby the suction valve controls the communication of suction from the engine to the reservoir or through the duct to the outlet valveto control the latter, and means controlled by the liquid level in the reservoir for regulating the suction valve to draw oil into the reservoir through the oil inlet or to allow said oil to flow through the outlet to the forward end of the crank case.

8. In a device of the character described, a reservoir having an oil inlet communicating with the sump of an engine, an oil outlet communicating with the forward end of the crank case, a valve in said outlet, a duct communicating with the engine cylinders, a valve for controlling the suction through said duct, a duct leading from the lastmentioned valve to the outlet controlling valve, whereby the suction valve controls the communication of suction from the en- L gine to the reservoir or through the duct to the outlet valve to control the latter, a spring for normally maintaining the suction valve in a position to open communication between the reservoir and the engine cylinders for the purpose of utilizing the suction in said cylinders to draw oil into the reservoir, electrical means for moving the suction valve into a position to shut oil communication between the engine cylinders and the reservoir and to divert the suction in the cylinders through the duct to operate the outlet valve for the purpose of allowing the oil in the reservoir to flow to the forward end of the crank case, and means, controlled by the liquid level in the reservoir and operable when the oil has reached a predetermined maximum level, for energizing the electrical means to allow of the outflow of the oil, said electrical means being subsequently rendered inoperative when the oil level in the reservoir has receded below a predetermined minimum.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name i to this specification.

PAUL SCHINDLER. 

